Chemical Attributes and Soil Organic Carbon in Coffee Plantations and Different Land Uses in the Mogiana Region of São Paulo

Abstract

Brazilian coffee production plays a key role in agribusiness. Brazil is the world’s largest producer, exporter, and consumer of coffee. The objectives of this research were to evaluate the components of soil acidity (pH, Al, H + Al, and m%), nutrients (available P and K, exchangeable Ca and Mg), fertility indicators (SB, T, t, and V%), and soil organic carbon (SOC) content in coffee plantations and other land uses (pasture and native forest) in the Mogiana region of São Paulo state. The study area is located in the municipality of São José do Rio Pardo, SP. The experimental design used randomized blocks, in a 4 x 2 factorial scheme, with four land uses (coffee in the planting row position, coffee in the inter-row position, pasture, and native vegetation) and two sampling depths (0-20 cm and 20-40 cm), with four replicates. To evaluate the results, the soil under native vegetation was considered the control. The granulometric composition of the soil, soil acidity and its indicators (pH, H+Al, Al, m%), soil nutrients (K, Ca, Mg, and P), and soil fertility parameters (SB, T, t, and V%) as well as SOC levels were evaluated. Soil texture was classified as medium in all areas and depths analyzed, which allowed comparisons between the different land uses. Native vegetation presented the best soil fertility indicators, with high levels of nutrients, SOC, and parameters such as suns of bases and cation exchange capacity, while areas under agricultural use and pasture exhibited nutritional limitations and lower carbon accumulation, especially in the surface layer (0-20 cm). Due to the high export of nutrients and inconvenient management practices, coffee plants showed lower fertility, especially in the inter-row. These results reinforce the need for sustainable management practices, such as organic fertilization, soil cover, and planning, to preserve soil health, increase efficiency in carbon accumulation, and ensure long-term productive sustainability through the building of soil fertility.